Schoolmate [YiZhan FF]✔️

-2- Hide-and-seek

-2- Hide-and-seek

Zhan hadn't even noticed when his parents finally came home that day because he went to bed early and slept. He just wanted to forget that first day at school and hoped that the next day would be a little better.

The next morning at breakfast, Zhan wanted to tell his parents what had happened, but let it be, after hearing his parents talking so happily about their jobs. He didn't want to spoil their good mood.

"Zhan, if you're done, let's go." His father shouted to him as he went back to his room to put on his school uniform.

"It's OK Dad. I'll take the bus from today." Actually, he hadn't wanted to take the bus. But he didn't want his dad to see that the students at his new school hated him, in case they hadn't forgotten the incident the day before.

"All right. I'll leave money for the bus on the kitchen table. Mom's already left. I'll see you later." His father called out to him, then Zhan heard the door slam shut.

He had been a little sad because his parents hadn't even asked him how his first day was. And his dad didn't even care why he wanted to take the bus now instead of being driven as usual.

Zhan took the bus to school, whereas he could clearly hear the whispering of the other students and thought about how he should give Wang Yibo his sports clothes. After all he was told to stay away from Wang Yibo.

When the bus stopped at the school, Zhan ran towards and past the students who were scolding him, into the school building and into his classroom. Sadly, Emily Qin is one of his classmates and unfortunately, she had already been there when he entered the classroom. She immediately approached him and reminded him to stay away from her boyfriend.

"I, um. He gave me his sports clothes yesterday to wash, and I brought them..." He hadn't even finished his sentence when Emily asked him to give the things to her. Without hesitation, he handed her the sports gear and she rushed out.

Five minutes later, an angry Wang Yibo came into the classroom, and to Zhan at the table. He punched the table with his fist and yelled, "Who gave you permission to give my sports clothes to Emily Qin?"

"I, I thought she is your girlfriend and she..." Began Zhan and was interrupted once again.

"You might need to stop thinking and just do what I tell you!" Scolded Wang Yibo.

Zhan wondered what he had done wrong again, Emily Qin is his girlfriend after all. What's the difference if she brings him the clean sports clothes? Besides, he's not allowed to go near Wang Yibo. How else could he give him the clothes?

Of course, this had been a new motivation of his classmates to tease him and to mess him up. Now he was for everyone, the country boy without a brain.

Wang Yibo threw his sports clothes at Zhan and said, "Bring them back tomorrow!" And then he left the classroom.

Emily Qin sparkled at Zhan angrily and insinuated that he had made Wang Yibo so angry that he was now even angry with her. Zhan didn't say anything about it, because she was the one who wanted to bring her boyfriend the stuff.

Zhan decided that it would be better if he avoided all those students. He stayed alone in the classroom during the breakfast break and when it was lunch time, he sat down in the stairwell and stayed there until the break was over.

And he was very careful not to run into Wang Yibo or Emily Qin.

When Zhan had to go to the toilet and Wang Yibo came from that direction, he literally jumped aside and hid behind a door until Wang Yibo passed. And if there was no other door to hide behind, he ran to the staircase and waited there.

He felt like a fool, but for him this was the best strategy to avoid further trouble.

After class, he even waited until most of the students had left the school. Of course he missed his bus and was forced to walk home. But he preferred everything than to run into any students who wanted to get at his throat again.

As he slowly walked home, he wondered whether he should make a will at the age of almost 17. Because he didn't feel like he was getting much older. Either his classmates were killing him or the stress they caused him.

When he was at home, he looked at Wang Yibo's sports clothes. There had been a big stain on his shirt. Which hadn't been there last night when he ironed it and then wrapped it up. Had Emily or Yibo intentionally soiled the shirt?

So Zhan washed the sports clothes again, dried and ironed them, then wrapped them in clothes foil and put them in his bag. Since his mother hadn't cooked anything and wasn't home yet, he went to the little shop at the corner and bought a package of ready-made noodles, which he ate in his room while doing his homework, trying hard to figure out how to stay out of trouble in the future.

"The best thing for me to do is, to keep playing this game of hide-and-seek. Tomorrow morning I will give this Wang Yibo his sports clothes and afterwards I will see, that our paths do not cross any more. Luckily the school is big and we can stay out of each other's way." He said to himself as he sat in front of his window watching the sun set.

Zhan waited until 10 pm, but his parents still hadn't returned. He wondered why his mother had to work so late as a cook. And why his father also had to work so much overtime since day one. How can they love their jobs if their private lives are completely lost in the process?

At 10:30 pm, Zhan went to bed frustrated. He had hoped to see his parents, but he was too tired to wait any longer for them to come home. And surely they would be too tired to listen to his whining. They would probably ask him to tell them during breakfast anyway.